Mibrofyalgia

I haven’t written here for a while,  I’ve been feeling a lot better recently since getting acupuncture at the pain clinic, it seems to have brought me out of a very long flare.  Unfortunately I was only given 5 sessions of acupuncture (they informed me of this at the last session!) and the pain is slowly increasing again.  I’m enjoying feeling better though and have been quite busy.

At the end of March Mr McBlonde and I got an allotment after being on a waiting list for 2 1/2 years.  Mr McBlonde has been doing all the heavy work, digging mainly to clear the plot of a years worth of weeds.  I have been doing gentle planting and hoeing the places Mr McBlonde has dug.  We also inherited several giant Hogweeds so, much as I dislike weedkillers, got out the roundup and sprayed them because giant Hogweed sap can cause permanent scarring and photosensitivty. We’ve now only got a month to clear the allotment entirely before the next inspection, so wish us luck!

Over the last few months I have done a bit of painting but I’m giving it a rest just now.  I needed a break from it to let my inspiration come back (hopefully).  I’ve been thinking about it again over the last few days and I’m wondering whether to go in a different direction for a while, more expressionistic to see if I can loosen up a bit.  I get very bogged down mentally with whether it’s good enough or how awful I think it is, I’m basically too judgemental and very perfectionistic which stops me doing anything at all, not very useful.

Mood wise I’ve been feeling a litlle better, I’m relatively stable just now, slightly below par but mostly not too bad.

I’ve been wondering for a long time why do I do art and what purpose does it serve?  I’m not sure, would be my first response, so I’ve been looking into it and came across an interesting point which I’d never really thought about.  Pictures cross the language barrier, this had never occurred to me!

I enjoy the process of seeing, observing and interpreting into a painting.  I also hope that people enjoy looking at what I do.  When it comes to art I don’t have a lot of words come to mind, I start to think in images so I find it hard to put into words my thoughts on art.

I’ve been drawing and painting since school, unfortunately due to various ailments I haven’t devoted as much time to it as I would have liked but I’ve enjoyed it none the less.  Here are some things I did at college before the Fibromyalgia seriously kicked in.

Today I’ve been having an art day.  I’ve done some watercolour, acrylic and am about to get stuck into some oil painting.  I’m enjoying it but have a few frustrations, mainly that I’m in pain and that is distracting me and means that I can’t do as much as I would like, also my brain keeps switching off and feels like it is filled with molasses.  Apart from that I’m having fun and feel like I’ve achieved something.  I’ll post some of my work sometime soon…..

This is the painting I’m working on just now, it’s still a bit wet so is quite shiny in places.  I’m only managing to paint occasionally at the moment so progress is slow but it’s enjoyable.  It’s about a third done and seems as though it’s got a long way to go.

I only really started landscape painting 3 years ago.  I decided to paint from “life” or “en plein air”.  I was lucky with the weather which was sunny and warm.  I was not prepared for the clouds to change quite so quickly.

My first attempt at outdoor landscape painting

I finished this one off at home because I was getting cold and it had got dark.

My 2nd attempt, a bit less finished but a better sky

This one was done completely on location, hence it is a bit messier.

I enjoyed the experience very much but have struggled to get very many pictures completed since-due to various health problems-so have a large amount of half finished canvases and paintings lying about the flat.

Cats are wonderful animals.  I have three, they are siblings-a brother and two sisters- and are ten years old.  Whenever I’m ill or upset they all come for extra cuddles and have in the past brought me twigs and feathers and laid them at my feet, which is quite sweet.  One of them, Nancy, is currently sitting on my knee purring away.

Cats are great companions and are also independant in their own way.  They do what they please most of the time, which I think is great.

I’ve had 13 cats since I was young and each one had a different way about them.  They’ve all been either unwanted or rescue cats.

This is an acrylic painting I did of a friends cat

I thought I would share some of my recent art work, things I have been messing about with of late.

acrylic and oil on canvas

pencil on sugar paper

not yet finished, please excuse terrible photo